The Prostate Cancer Research Foundation Forum is a biennial international summit meeting of the world's foremost prostate cancer specialists and researchers.

Distinguished delegates from the first forum held in 1994

The idea originated in conversations between medical oncologist Dr Peter Wrigley and the late Sir Clive Bourne, his patient.

Both were eager to accelerate the research effort and close the large gaps in available medical knowledge.

It was agreed that Dr Wrigley would co-ordinate a meeting that would assemble international specialists involved in diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.  The timing could not have been more urgent in the light of sombre statistics revealing that prostate cancer was (a) the second largest cause of male deaths from cancer and (b) that the death-rate had not fallen in the last 50 years since androgen ablation became standard therapy for metastatic disease.

Over dinner at London's St. Bartholomew's Hospital it was unanimously agreed that an international forum was the most effective way to proceed. Seizing the unanimity and enthusiasm of the distinguished dinner guests, Sir Clive offered to fund such an event attended by interested specialists from all over the world to exchange information, ideas and suggestions and also to appraise colleagues of the latest available research.

The Forum was to include approximately 50 international delegates all of whom would be leaders in their specialised fields, plus in order to ensure the future of prostate cancer research, local PhD students would also be encourgaged to attend.  

Social evening events are also organised for the delegates, as we know that collaborations are often formed over informal discussion at dinner.